A review by heykellyjensen
An Off Year by Claire Zulkey

3.0

Reading this made me feel like Cecily -- I couldn't decide whether I wanted to keep reading it or not or whether I liked it or not or what the heck I was doing, so I just kept doing it. I'm glad I did. This was a refreshing book because, well, nothing really happens and that's reality. I liked Cecily and her quirky relationship with her family. I liked the concept and felt she was pretty well drawn. I won't say this was a totally realistic book because it's not, but it reminds me of a dirtied up Maureen Johnson. John Green AND Melissa Walker got shout outs from Zulkey which is fun, too. I think she'll mature a lot as a writer if she keeps writing, and I think this is a book a lot of people making massive life decisions will appreciate. Don't be prepared to be blown away but be prepared to find something just a bit different. And good.

Zulkey's a local writer, too, which gives her even more props in my book.